Norton plans iPhone, iPad security software

BlackBerry and Windows Phone too

Norton's Con Mallon today told PC Advisor that although its mobile security focus was currently on Android, the company was looking to expand into different mobile operating systems, offering different features and functions. Mallon said that a Norton iOS security product could even happen in the next 12 months.

"Is there a current, present need for malware scanning on an iOS device? No," Mallon said. "It's a very controlled environment."

But he pointed to the popularity of the anti-theft aspects of the current Android products such as Norton's Mobile Security and Norton Tablet Security as a potential aspect of an iOS security app. He also suggested protected surfing as a potential tool in iPhone and iPad security software, whereby Norton would tell you how trustworthy a site was before you opened a link on your iDevice.

Indeed, Norton already has a security app on the App Store that does something similar. Released in beta, Norton Snap is a QR Code reader for iPhone and iPad. It offers advice on what lies beneath QR Codes gleaned from Norton SafeWeb. This way you know what you are going to get before you click through.

Mallon thinks that providing user restriction policies accross multiple devices will become a role for security software such as a putative iOS app. This would families to keep their children safe online, for instance, even when they are surfing from an iPhone.

with Norton One the company has already started rolling out a one licence fits all products for desktop and mobile security, and Mallon says that in the future Norton users will purchase one product that will entitle them to use Norton security software to protect all their devices, mobile and otherwise, and regardless of what OS their mobile device uses. See also: Norton - Mobile threat 'immature'.